Am I impressed with Bazball? Annoyingly, yes!

Aussie legend GLENN McGRATH loves a bit of pre-Ashes Pom-bashing but reluctantly admits Stokes’ lot are the real deal

AS THIS is an Ashes summer and this is Glenn McGrath, there is only one question we can start with. What does he think the score will be? ‘5-0,’ grins the Australia legend. ‘But i’m not going to ever say anything else, am i?’

Quite. McGrath, for those not familiar with his pre-Ashes ritual, has been predicting Aussie whitewashes ever since he was a player in 2005, when his forecast famously backfired and England won 2-1. But does he really mean it this time?

‘i might be being a bit tonguein-cheek,’ he concedes. ‘Australia have not won a series in England since 2001. they will need to start well. they can’t let England go 1-0 up with the way England are playing at the moment.’

the way England are playing has, of course, been transformed under new coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, winning 10 tests out of 12.

So, is McGrath impressed with Bazball? ‘ Unfortunately, yes,’ replies the 53-year- old, who is arriving in England next week for a speaking tour with his BBC Test Match Special colleague Jonathan Agnew.

‘if you play without fear, it’s amazing what you can achieve. the Australia team i played in played with a lot of freedom and we backed ourselves, but England have taken it to the next level.

‘they feel they can win from any situation. they put the pressure straight back on the opposition and back themselves to chase down any target in the fourth innings. that’s something pretty new. When you’ve got the buy- in from the whole team, that’s pretty special.

‘ test cricket is under pressure and you’ve got to keep it fresh and exciting. the cricket they are playing is definitely doing that.’

Praising the Poms in this manner does not come naturally to their old nemesis McGrath. And yet his kind words continue when the conversation turns to England’s two veteran fast bowlers Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, who last month broke a record McGrath held with Shane Warne for most wickets in tests played together.

‘they are setting records that will never be beaten,’ insists McGrath. ‘ Warnie and i had a great career together. We marked the anniversary of his passing recently and it still hits you pretty hard. i still find it hard to come to terms with. he was a once-in-ageneration player.

‘But congratulations to Jimmy and Broady. they are an incredible partnership. they did take a couple more tests than Shane and i though…’

McGrath and Warne claimed 1,001 wickets in 104 tests, a mark Anderson and Broad only eclipsed after 133 matches. Anderson and Broad are, though, the only two fast bowlers to have more than McGrath’s 563 test wickets, 685 and 576 respectively.

During this summer’s Ashes, Anderson will turn 41 and Broad 37. And while both insist they have no plans to retire, there is surely a chance they bow out together at the Oval in July if they regain the urn, like McGrath and Warne did at Sydney in January 2007.

‘that would be perfect,’ says McGrath. ‘But i guess it depends on what they want and how they want to go out. i’m wondering what Jimmy’s ultimate goal is, whether he’s aiming for 700 test wickets. if he gets there, which i hope he does, maybe that will be his swansong.

‘i didn’t really think too much about retirement. i just woke up one day and knew it was time. But you’re a long time retired, so while you’re still enjoying it, bowling well and are mentally motivated, why not carry on?’

Regardless of how long Anderson and Broad keep going, England have arguably already found the next leader of their attack in Ollie Robinson, who has taken 66 wickets in 16 tests at an average of 21.27. he studied McGrath as a youngster and was recently compared to him by former England man Steve harmison. McGrath also sees the likeness.

‘Yeah, there are probably a few similarities,’ he admits. ‘We are both tall, hit good areas, do more off the pitch than in the air — and we’re not that quick!

‘he’s got good control. he’s not the type of bowler you can sit on and wait for a bad ball because it’s not going to come. he gets bounce off a length and does enough to find the edge and make it hard work. For English conditions, with the Dukes ball, it’s perfect.’

those conditions and that ball are why England was McGrath’s favourite place to bowl. he claimed 87 wickets in 14 tests here, including a best of eight for 38 in the first innings at Lord’s on his first Ashes tour in 1997.

For many fans, however, their overriding memory of McGrath is when he stepped on a ball in the warm-up for the second test at Edgbaston in 2005, missing a match England won by two runs to turn an iconic series.

‘A lot of English people come up to me and say that is one of their favourite sporting memories of all time,’ he laughs. ‘ Probably the biggest cheer i’ve ever received was when they found out i was ruled out.

‘it was a pretty sour and dark moment in my career, but i still have some great memories from 2005. it was an incredible series. Just walking around the streets and people coming up to you saying they don’t really like cricket but they can’t miss a ball of it. that’s what it’s all about.’

McGrath’sth’s passion for the Ashes has not dimmed in the 16 years he has been retired. that was evident in the commentary box with Agnew and Alastair Cook at headingley in 2019, when he threw his headphones off and muttered expletives as England homed in on a miraculous win.

‘i had to get away from the microphone,’ he recalls. ‘What i said was not for radio! it was a test Australia should have won. But it just shows there is still raw emotion and passion in old cricketers. You want commentators feeling and living the moment.’

McGrath expects to be heckled about headingley 2019 and Edgbaston 2005 on his tour with Aggers, which starts in Guildford a week tomorrow. But he adds: ‘i’d be disappointed if i don’t get a bit of stick — and i will give it to you English as well!’

Old habits, it seems, die hard. Test Match Special Live — The Ashes Special, with Jonathan Agnew and Glenn McGrath, from April 5. For tickets and venue information visit: fane.co.uk/TMS